So, basically, this is another rant about life and my strong opinions. So, if you’ve read this blog more than once, this is going to be old news for you and you’d best go onto your next site! 🙂

It’s beyond me how people think they are NOT being rude when they leave their grocery cart behind your car! My parking lot at work is a crazy one; there’s a McDonald’s, a Trader Joe’s, and other smaller stores, not to mention Du-par’s. Parking is an issue, and many spots are very narrow. Alas, one day I am coming out to leave from work and a young, fit lady was putting her cart behind my car. When I walk up to put my stuff in the back of the car, I thought that’d be enough for her to move it. Nope. Then I had the GALL to ask her to take her cart, as she was obviously wrapping up her stuff and heading to the driver’s seat. She looked at me with shock, was obviously appalled that I would suggest such a thing, and told me that the parking places were too close and she didn’t want to walk the cart back to Trader Joe’s. I said, “Seriously?” She said yes and got in her car. Well, yes 2.78 readers, once she got in her car, I pushed the cart from behind my car to behind hers and got in my car. I have never seen so many F-word chains and middle fingers in my life. And I wonder, was it REALLY my responsibility to take back the cart?????? My decision – NO. Her decision – YES, and I was therefore a {fill in the blank}.

I have been amazingly blessed by FaceBook and the dozens of connections I’ve made with people that would have otherwise remained as memories to me OR whom I’d only see every 10 or so years at reunions. In fact, I have forged friendships with some that weren’t really close to me during high school, and that is awesome! But there are also interesting, and perhaps negative aspects of FB as well. This springs up a lot during shows like American Idol and the like – people on the East or Central time zones post status updates such as “I can’t BELIEVE Adam is in the bottom three!” when us poor West Coast people scream “NO!” Some try to be nice and say, “Hey, don’t spoil the ending for us PDT peeps!”, while others are much more direct. Sadly, I have seen 90% of the time the “guilty” people get ‘tude when called on their actions. This recently happened to me as well; someone made mention to something that happened in Harry Potter’s latest movie, which I guess occurred in book 6. I called her on it, I guess nicely, and she said oh no, you could tell it was heading that way, the way this happened in book 2 bladda bladda. When I said, “wow, you’re assuming I have even gotten that far! Maybe I am on book 1! So seriously, you ruined a plot that has been building for over 4 books! Thanks!” And her response? “You are SO behind, shame on you!” Is that really an excuse for putting on FB the ending of a 6 or 7 book series? COME ON PEOPLE, SPOILERS SUCK! And for those of you that are my FB friends who live in non-Pacific time zones who habitually put the results of shows such as American Idol up, I have removed you from my live feed…….just saying……

I won’t grumble about this next piece too much as this economy has done SO MUCH to so many people and my frustration seems petty in comparison. I have lived in my present home for 4 months. When I applied for it, I said I had a dog and also, due to circumstances I won’t list here, had other items that made me an “good” tenant instead of a “stellar” tenant. Primarily due to the dog, I was asked to provide a two month deposit. So, basically, within 48 hours I had to come up with three month’s rent. It was harrowing. It was stressful. It sucked. But, thanks be to God, I managed it and here I am today. So it is a bit frustrating to realize that, at the point that Mr. Owner Dude, -who asked this ALMOST impossible thing of me – was doing this, he was already in default on his mortgage. He had already stopped paying it, had already been threatened with foreclosure, had already had a good indication that he would be losing his house. He knew my 12 month lease and my lease payments were just gonna be gravy for him and that he would never have to access or even USE the deposit, as he knew he would be losing the house. And that is fine, I HAVE enjoyed living here the 4 months I have. However, I am VERY thankful Mr. Owner Dude never had access to my two month deposit, nor that I will ever meet him face-to-face. (On a side note, I am sad to report that two other condos on our street have been foreclosed on this past week, too. This is sad proof that many are still struggling during this recession.)

On that note, I have some real life feedback on people’s responses to problems. For example, I first learned of the problem Mr. Owner Dude was having when a notice of auction was posted on my front door. It stated that the property I was leasing was going up for auction on 7/16. I mentioned this at work, and a person who might own a business first responded by saying, “Oh good, you should buy it!” Wow. Okay, let me just say, when you are living in a house valued at $5Million, can take thousands of dollars out of your firm at any time without accounting for the funds OR paying taxes for them, inherited vast amounts of assets, yet cannot even do the bare minimum required by law in the state your business runs……maybe you shouldn’t say to your employee whose paycheck probably will bounce this Friday “oh good, you should buy it!”. Oh, and this whole bullet point is fiction, if you were wondering…..RIGHT.

Okay, the bitch-fest is over. Not sure I feel better, but at least this has been updated, right?

Twenty four oceans
Twenty four skies
Twenty four failures
Twenty four tries
Twenty four finds me
In twenty-fourth place
Twenty four drop outs
At the end of the day
Life is not what I thought it was
Twenty four hours ago

Still I’m singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
And I’m not who I thought I was twenty four hours ago
Still I’m singing Spirit take me up in arms with You

Twenty four reasons to admit that I’m wrong
With all my excuses still twenty four strong

See I’m not copping out not copping out not copping out
When You’re raising the dead in me
Oh, oh I am the second man
Oh, oh I am the second man now
Oh, oh I am the second man now

And You’re raising these twenty four voices
With twenty four hearts
With all of my symphonies
In twenty four parts
But I want to be one today
Centered and true

I’m singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
You’re raising the dead in me
Oh, oh I am the second man
Oh, oh I am the second man now
Oh, oh I am the second man now
And You’re raising the dead in me

I want to see miracles, see the world change
Wrestled the angel, for more than a name
For more than a feeling
For more than a cause
I’m singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
And You’re raising the dead in me
Twenty four voices
With twenty four hearts
With all of my symphonies
In twenty four parts.
I’m not copping out. Not copping out. Not copping out.

So today “the bank” knocked on my front door. You see, the owner that I leased from was not altogether HONEST when he got a deposit from me and signed a 12 month lease. In actuality, he was already in the process of foreclosure when I moved in on 3/17. Anyway, the condo is officially back in the bank’s possession and they are not interested in having a tenant. I have up to 90 days to move, but I am waiting to hear back from them on how this whole thing works. AT LEAST I will get my entire deposit back and a portion on the rent I paid this month…..AND will not have to pay any other rent while I remain…….

So, if you know of any places in nice areas, let me know. I am thinking I want to move closer to the beach……..checking out my options……..

Growing up, I was blessed by having a very intelligent and balanced father. Well, those blessings continue today, actually. He is very strong, yet tender hearted and gentle. Many things he taught me – and the moment he taught them to me – are ingrained in my mind and heart. One such memory is when my Dad told me that, if someone dies saving another person, they would go to heaven. I just spent a few moments looking through the Bible to get a verse that supports this, but was getting distracted by other verses I found. So I KNOW Jesus said something to that effect, but am too tired to keep looking. ANYWAY, it is with that memory that I share this story about a man who died saving a girl who would have probably drowned. I am sad, but I believe he is in heaven.

Mud Run Antics

Yesterday, my friend Sonya, Kenny and I ran in the ECO Mud Run in Irvine, CA. It was FUN but a little disorganized. We DID get covered in mud AND finished! Woohoo! I am not the worse for wear overall, although I DID pull something in my groin that is not altogether pleasant!

Challenges

So it appears that the owner of the place I lease lost his house to the bank this past week. Worse case – I have 60-90 days to find a new place to live. However, I am fortunate that the deposit AND last month’s rent have been held in escrow by a property management company, NOT the owner. So, if this news is confirmed (by Monday or Tuesday), I WILL get back those funds for sure so that is a big relief. There is a small chance that the owner will renegotiate his mortgage, even after the foreclosure, so that might happen too. If I am forced to move, I AM a bit frustrated that I will not get my ROI on the moving expenses after only a few months here, but I am choosing to focus on the positive.

More Stuff

Well, that was misleading, as I am too distracted at present to continue with this post! So, perhaps I will write more later OR perhaps not! There you go!